NOVEL NEXT Chapter 42: Chapter 42
Memory.
Something that is quite obvious and completely scientifically proven.
But stealing someone's memory never helps you become that person.
Because besides the memory, the experience that their body feels at that time along with the mental emotions are really important.
A person's memory will only be like a documentary if the person watching it is not the person himself.
Even though they know the same thing, each person feels differently, this is similar.
Looking at a person's memories and past will not help you understand someone. Because what those people think and feel when experiencing those memories is something that is only theirs, and only they can understand and appreciate.
I stand at the edge of the dream, the last defense for a person's heart, memory.
The last shell that protects a person from pain, the person I want to save is currently hiding in there.
Hidden behind this transparent projection screen that resembles an emotional prism.
A projection screen made of transparent crystal that resembles a mirror reflecting the soul. That is the edge of dreams, memories.
I looked at the projections of memories, Himeko-sensei's past and fell into contemplation
In front of me was a quagmire that I could not escape from. Because no one is without regret. Anyone would look back at some point and wonder if they had made a different choice, would the result they received be better than now.
'So... that must have been a difficult thing, huh?'
I smiled slightly as I looked at the scene before me. A mature man with a plain appearance was carrying a little girl on his shoulders. The man's most prominent features were his grayish-black hair and white coat, looking like a scientist.
It was a red-haired girl with a bright smile while holding two cotton candy in her hands.
The scene around the two of them was also very bustling, it was the scene of a bustling amusement park, perhaps without a word, I already understood what the scene in front of me symbolized.
I raised my hand to scratch my head, smiled lightly, and sighed in resignation.
"This time, I'll have to play the bad guy, Himeko-sensei."
After saying that, I took a step back to gain momentum and then charged forward, hitting the giant screen.
-Shoot! Swoosh!
The electric shock immediately exploded, knocking me away. Rolling a few times on the ground, I immediately stood up and charged forward again.
-Shoot! Swoosh!!
This time, the electric shock was a hundred times stronger than before, sending me flying away. Rolling on the ground like a ragged blanket, my body was torn and battered by the electric shock, but I still struggled to stand up because this was what I had to do.
-Bang! Crack!!!!
This backlash was stronger than the last one, enough for me to hear the sound of my flesh being scorched by the electric charge.
With my hands trembling from paralysis, I clawed at the flat, dark ground until blood splattered, so I could muster enough strength to stand up.
My face was bruised and bruised, I even had a nosebleed after failing three times and being knocked away, rolling miserably on the ground.
After gathering enough strength and momentum, I threw myself forward and swung my punch.
-Bang! Crack.
A small crack appeared on the screen and a fragment of Himeko's idea flashed through my mind
(I wish this moment would last forever)
A certain girl thought as she enjoyed a family outing.
Gritting my teeth, I stood up after the fourth fall and rushed forward to shove myself into the projection.
(My father had shown me a model of a spaceship he had invented when I was young when I expressed my dream of exploring the universe on my 10th birthday)
"....."
-Bang! Crack!
Following three more consecutive hits, the crack on the screen began to spread like a spider web. The memories also flowed out without stopping.
(I met a person named Welt, he taught me a lot of things)
(I wanted to see aliens so I studied hard)
(It would be nice if both my father and mother could celebrate my graduation day with me)
(Why did my mother die? Where is my father?)
(My father has changed, he doesn't care about me anymore)
The rosy memories gradually became tinged with sadness and it gently flowed through my mind through the broken glass.
"Himeko-sensei....I'm sorry"
I whispered that and swung my fist at the screen that was already full of cracks.
-Crack! Crash!
The pieces of glass began to fall and the beautiful scenery suddenly disappeared.
Behind the glass was a lonely red-haired girl hugging a sketchbook and shivering, huddled in a corner of the simple room, looking at me.
There were many pictures she had drawn scattered all over the room
The pictures she drew were family pictures with the theme of meeting aliens. Sometimes they changed to pictures of exploring the stars and sometimes they were pictures filled with laughter when a young girl gathered with her friends.
And sometimes they were warm pictures with people who looked very familiar to me gathered around the dining table.
Despite my ragged and bruised appearance, I still tried to smile vaguely and bent down to pick up each picture, after picking up a thick stack I went to return them to the girl.
The little girl's trembling eyes looked back and forth between me and the stack of paintings I held in my hand, after thinking for a while she reached out to take the stack of paintings back.
"T-thank you...."
Although her voice was still a little shaky, a look of relief appeared on her face.
I still didn't say anything and simply snapped my fingers
-Snap!
Then the simple room disappeared and was replaced by a magnificent view of the universe.
Thousands and tens of thousands of stars were shining before her eyes.
The streaks of emerald light were connecting the stars in the night sky, forming countless constellations.
The Milky Way was shining brightly, the constellations were sparkling, and the magical moon was spread out in her sight, the little girl looked up at the night sky with sparkling eyes while leaning against the ancient tree in the middle of a vast plain.
I quietly walked forward, the shadow of the moon covered me, standing opposite the little girl I spoke.
"You had a good dream, Himeko-sensei. If so, it's time to wake up, sensei."
After saying that, I held out my hand. The girl looked at me, smiled slightly, and took my hand.
"Really...
Her voice gradually changed, and the hand I was holding also gradually became larger. A teacher appeared in my sight with bright red hair fluttering in the wind.
Her eyes looked at me with curiosity.
....who are you, Yumeji?"
I just smiled slightly and replied to that question
"Me? Just a troublesome student of yours, sensei"
__________________
Kiana's PoV
She stared at the two unconscious people and turned to Fu Hua with a worried voice
"Are they going to be okay, class president?"
Fu Hua frowned as she examined Yumeji's wound. Since they were in the ocean, there was no first aid kit, let alone bandages.
Yumeji's complexion had already paled somewhat due to blood loss, and it would be dangerous to leave the wound open, so Fu Hua adjusted the size of Yumeji's diving suit to make it fit tightly around his body to stop the bleeding.
But even if she was an idiot, she could clearly see that this was just a trick to fool the Grim Reaper, which made her even more worried and looked at Fu Hua, who kept pressing hard on Yumeji with her fingers.
When she asked, Fu Hua only replied that she was pressing her acupressure points to stop the bleeding. Kiana knew that even though Fu Hua kept her face calm, she still couldn't hide the worry in her eyes.
She raised her head and turned to look at Aunt Himeko who was being taken care of by Mei and Bronya. In contrast to Yumeji's critical condition, there was hardly a single wound on Aunt Himeko's body, not even a sign of being invaded by the Honkai Energy, her expression was so peaceful that it looked like she was taking a nap.
And then, she looked at the Xuanyuan Sword that Fu Hua had retrieved and placed beside her.
Thinking about how everything was caused by the sword, she was no longer interested in it, but instead felt a little annoyed that the sword had hurt her friends.
Every now and then, she bent down to look at Yumeji's unconscious face
It was still that hateful face, but it now looked so pale and weak. While she was observing thoughtfully, suddenly....
-Slap.
A hand reached out and pushed her face away.
"Ouch! What's going on!?"
While she was stunned by the sudden development, a tired voice rang out.
"Your face is too close, move away, idiot."
When she realized where the voice came from, she saw Yumeji slightly open her eyes and look at her.
"Yumeji! You're awake! You made me so worried, you reckless bastard!"
Perhaps she was too excited so she didn't realize that she had rushed forward and hugged Yumeji.
"Hey, hey! I know you're happy but if you keep hugging me like that, I'll really die, grandma! And this is making my wound sting, it hurts so much so don't hug me anymore, please!"
Seeing Yumeji screaming so loudly made her forget about blushing and embarrassed, let go of her hand and smiled wryly saying
"As expected, I still can't stand you, you hateful thing"
Honestly, even though he had gone through the gates of hell and returned, he was still so foul-mouthed, she really wanted to worship this hateful classmate.
But really, she liked that idiot who was still hateful like that. Keeping those words in her heart, she left to check on Aunt Himeko's condition
*********
In another place, where the heavens and the earth are in harmony, endless and boundless.
The boy with Turquoise blue eyes, with an indifferent expression, looked into the distance and then smiled brightly.
A smile that showed that he was very satisfied with this result. Completely opposite to the irritable expression he had shown to the other boy before.
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But then, he looked a little sad and lonely.
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With a sad expression, the boy continued to talk to nothingness while waiting for something.
-Swoosh!
With a whoosh, a part of the infinite space opened like a curtain and a person stepped out from the other end of the hole.
Seeing that person, the boy grinned and said.
<
The mysterious man silently looked at the boy with an emotionless gaze.
In his left hand, he held a sharp jet-black Katana soaked in fresh blood.
While in his right hand, he must have been carrying a sack that looked like Santa Claus's.
But inside it wasn't a child's toy but....
-Thud!
The man threw the sack onto the ground, causing the contents to fall out.
Countless skulls immediately fell out and lay scattered around.
Seeing them, the grin on the boy's face widened even more.
The man looked expressionlessly at the hundreds of skulls that fell out of the sack, and then they were swallowed whole by the countless blue hands that rose from the 'sea'.
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The man spoke with a cold expression like the Arctic